Valve



Aug. 6, 1940. .1., P. JoHNsoN VALVEv 7 Filed Dec. 2l, 1938 Patented Aug. 6, 1940 VALVE James P. Johnson, Shaker Heights, Ohio, as-

signor, by

mesne assignments, to Pump Engineering Service Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 21, 1938, Serial No. 246,950

5 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to valves and more particularly to an improvement therein which renders the valve more especially adaptable for use on aircraft although such use is not restrictive.

in the operation of aircraft there are many instrumentalities operated by uid pressure such as the retractible landing gear wherein the effective pressure mustA be maintained substantially constant during its working period. 'Ihe pressure is usually provided by a directly connected motor driven oil pump the capacity of which varies withfits R. P. M. with the result that after` the effective pressure is reached further continuous operation of the pump produces overloading of the latter resulting in a loss of efficiency and undesirable wear -upon the elements.-

it is therefore, an object ofthe present invention to provide a valve interposed between the discharge side of a power driven oil pump and the inlet side of an actuating device4 for a landing gear or the like, which permitsI the flow of oil to the latter until the required pressure is established and thereafter maintaining said pressure but relieving the pump of its load, thereby materially increasing the life and eiciency of the pump.

A further object -of the present invention is to provide means for reestabllshing the flow of oil to the landing gear or similar instrumentality when the pressure therein drops below that required for the eiective operation of the latter.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a valve mechanism of the type referred to which is compact, simple to manufacture and assemble, eicient and inexpensive.

With the' objects abovel indicated, and other objects hereinafter explained n view, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed. l

-Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewof the valve assembly 'embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken v The housing I0 is further provided with a laterallyprojecting boss I9 having an inwardly exing 3| functions as an oil relief opening and is of aircraft but it is obvious that it may have other adaptations where similar conditions are present and similar results desirable.

The valve assembly comprises a housing I0, preferably of cast aluminum or other suitable 5 material, and of substantially the shape of the numeral v8 in cross section as shown in Figure 'The housing at one end is provided with a bore the base of which forms a shoulder or seat vteriorly screwthreaded and which opening at its inner end. communicates with a bore I8 of smaller diameter extending axially inwardly, the base forming the other side of the partition I6.

' ing bore 23 of slightly greater diameter. The inner end of this boreV 23 communicates with a bore 24 of smaller diameter the base providing an Vabutment or'shoulder 25. A passageway 26 ex- -tends through the housing connecting the passageway 2| with the bore 24. A laterallyY pro- 'jecting boss 21 is provided at the outer end of vthe housing I0 and has an inwardly extending opening 28 interiorly screwthreaded, communicating with the bore 23 and a passageway 29 connects the bore 23 with the bore I8. 'I'he opening 28 functions as the outlet for the oil and is connected with the landing gear or similar pressure actuated device. The housing III is further provided with a laterallyprojecting boss -30 having an inwardly extending opening 3| interiorly screwthreaded which communicates by means of a passageway 32 with the bore I5 as more clearly shown in AFigure V2. VThis openadapted for connection with the supply tank. The arrangement of the bores and passageways permits ready casting of the housing and simple machining.. l.

` A sleeve 33 of steel or other suitable materiall is tightly iitted within the bore 24 and has its inner end abutting the shoulder 25 while its outer end is substantially'ush with the base of the bore 23 to provide' a valve seat 3,4 ahead of the outlet opening 28. A ballV valve member 35 is movably disposed within the bore 23 and engageable with thevalve seat 34 for controlling the'flow of oil through the passageway 26. A plug 36 has a screwthreaded portion removably engageable with the screwthreaded open-` ing 22 in the housing and annular spaced vfin-- gers 31 whichv maintains the ball valve member 35 inl proper operating position. `The plug 36 is further provided with an axialbore 38 within which a coiled spring 38 is disposed.. The op-` posite ends of the spring engage the base ofthe bore 38 andthe valve member 35 respectively and may be properly tensioned by adjusting the plug. A gasket 48 is disposed between the head of the plug and housing to provide a-sealed to interfere with the communication between theoutlet opening 28 and the bore I8.

A s1eeve4| of steel or other suitable material, Y

is securely iitted within the bore I3 and has its inner end abutting the shoulder VI4 while its o uter Y end terminates slightly belowjthe passagewayzZI providing a valve seat 42; A valve member indicated generally at 43 is movably mounted inthe bore I3 and has a valve head 44 engageable with l `the valve seat 42. The'valve member 43 has an outwardly extending neck portion 45 of reduced diameter 'terminating in a laterally extending peripheral flange or piston-like portion 46 of a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the valve seat 42 and provided with a cooperating sealing ring to be described., The valve member 43 has a bore 41 extending axially inwardly from its inner endwhich communicates with an axial opening 46 of smaller diameter providing a' shoulder or abutment 49. For moving the valve member 43 to open position,V a plunger 58 is provided which has a portion 5I slidably disposed within the bore 41 and an outwardly projecting portion 52 of reduced diameter extending through the opening 48, thereby providing ashoulder 53 lwhich is engageable with the shoulder 48 on the valve member. The portion 5I of the plunger extends axially outwardly and its end projects slidably.

through an opening 54 provided inthe partition I6 and into the b ore I 8. A rubber ring 55 encircles the adjacent end Aoi the plunger and is securely seated in the bore I6 in abutting relation with the partition. The outer face .of the ring 55 is grooved circularly to receive the annular rlange 56 of a pressure member 51 movably disposedin the vbore I8. A spring snap ring 58 is used to compress the pressure member and rubber ring to effect'a seal about the plunger= and is maintained by a circular recess 59 formedon the inner wall of the' bore I 8. A plug 68 is removably inserted in the opening I1 to close the passageway whereby the pressure of the oil will react against the projecting end of the plunger for movi ing the latter outwardly to unseat said valve for a purpose to be later described.

Any suitable means may be employed for normally maintaining the valve member 43 in its closed position but preferably the construction and arrangement shown' is simple to manufacture joint.' The valve 35 is also positioned so-l as not and assemble and yet has been found exception tension 45 on the valve member and is tightly iltted between the flange or piston-like portion 46 and the inner peripheral surface .of the central opening 64 having a sliding engagement with the latter. 'I'his ring not only functions as a seal but more important it-'cooperates with -ilange 46 to partially balance the pressure on valve 44 in a manner to be later described. The outer end of the plunger 58 has a reduced end portion 66 providing a shoulder 61 adjacent the iiange 46 of the valve member. A valve actuating member 68-has a laterally extending flange 69 slidablyv mounted in the central opening 64 and adapted to engage the ilange 46 of the valvemember to normally maintain the latter in closed position. The member 68 has an axial outwardly extending circular projection. having a rounded outer end and an axial bore 1I extending inwardly from the inner side of the flange, terminating in an end wall 12. 'I'he end 66 of the plunger is slidably disposed in the bore 1I the end of thel plunger being slightly spaced from the end vwall 12 when the ange 68 is in engagement with the shou1der61. To eliminate the possibility of any pressure head'tending to interfere with the eilicient operation of the valve member openings 13 are provided in the flange 68 and openings"p14 are provided in the end wall 12. An opening 15 4is also provided in the adjacent end of the plunger. .extending centrally thereof v and branching outwardly into communication with the relief opening 3|.

It will be understood of course, that these openings are always in communication. A

.A springguide and retainer member 16 has an end wall 11`at its outer end normally engaging the rounded outer end of thel member 66 and has a depending annular skirt portion 16 freely encircling the projection 18. The end wall 11 is aQlso provided' with openings to provide communication with the openings 13. The member 16 is further provided with a laterally extending circumferential flange 18 with which one end of a coiled.spring 88 engages. The spring is disposed coaxially within the extension 6I and its outer end ts into a bore 8| formed on the under side of an exteriorly screwthreaded plug 82. The

outer end of the extension 6I is interiorly screwthreaded to adjustably receive the plug and adjustment of the ,latter predeterminately tensions the spring 88. To readily'and quickly adjust the plug, a non-circular rod 83 slidably projects A through a non-circular opening in the plug andthe outer end is connected to the central portion of a bar 84 extending transversely. 'Ihe outer ends of the bar are adapted to be disposed in any two diametrically opposite recesses'85 of a-plu rality of radially spaced recesses to maintain proper tensioning of the spring. A cap 86 closes the outer vend of the extension 6I being screwthreaded thereon and at the same time prevents accidental displacement of the bar 84. A gasket 61 is provided between the end of the cap and a.

vshoulder on' the extension -to provide a sealed joint.

In the application and operation of the valve, the inlet opening 20 is connected with the outlet' or discharge opening Vof a power driven hydraulic pump. By power driven is meant that the pump is either connected directly with the motor or through a suitable gear box for its operation and the inlet or intake side of the pump is connected with the fluid supply tank. Oil is usually the fluid medium .used and where I speak of oil it will be understood that 'its use is figuratively only. The outlet opening 28 is connected with the actuating mechanism of the landing gear or similar pressure response device, and the usual return line is provided between the landing gear and iiuid supply tank. The relief opening 3l is connected with the fluid supply tank. It is to be noted, that the inlet side of the hydraulic pump is connected with the fluidsupply tank in the usual manner.

. With the valve assembly thus connected, let us assume that the effective pressure for operat- Iing the landing gear is 500 pounds per square inch and that this pressure must be maintained as a minimum for a period of time concurrent with its intended purpose. The spring 80 must rst'be adjusted to exert substantially the same pressure on the valve member 443 so that the latter is normally maintained'v in closed position in engagement with its valve seat 42. The pump is next operated, in the manner heretofore described, ,and fluid is drawn from the fluid supply tankf into the pump and discharged under pressure from the outlet side or opening. The discharged fluid enters the inlet opening 20, in the valve assembly, passing downwardly through the passageway 26, unseating the spring pressedl ball valve member 35, and flows through the outlet opening 28 to the actuating'mechanism of the landing gear. When the pressure o f the introduced fluid reaches 500 pounds per square inch,A the desired actuatingminimum pressure,

continued operation of the Ypump tends to build valve seat .42 being greater than the diameterv of the central opening 64 iny which the ring 65 reciprocates, a differential valve actuating presysure is provided. This pressure differential may varied to `suit the conditions present by varying the size of the valve seat 42 with respect to the diameter of the central opening 64 and this pressure differential isthe same as `the excess pressure created in the/landing gear line above the minimum ,effective pressure of 500 pounds per squareA inch tion. Therefore, when. the pressure f thefuel in as adopted lfor explanathe landing gear `reaches this excess, it exerts' a force against the bottom or large end of the plunger 50 causing itto rise ormove against spring in the direction of compression. When the plunger rises to Ithe point of engagement with the valve member 43 the latter is moved out of ,engagement with its seat thus relieving the pressure within the bore I3. This causesV the ball valve member 33 to engage its seat and the duid at the present pressure inthe landing gear line is maintainedfor` its purpose. At the same time `the fluid from the pump passes by the valve 43 and out through the relief opening 3| to the fluid supply tank. This reduces the load on the pump to a minimum because there is practically reaches the effective predetermined pressure tobe .maintained the valve member 43 has engaged its seat 42 which interrupts the flow-of fluid through the relief opening and reestablishes the flow of fluid under pressure through ythe passageway 26, unseating the ball valve member 35 andginto the landing gear line. The plunger in the meantime having been moved to its lowermost position with its end projecting into the bore I3 independently of the valve member 43. The pump lis operated under load just long enough to raise the pressure of the fluid in the landing gear line above the minimum eiective pressure by an amount, substantially equal to the pressure differential under which the valve is actuated. This operation of the valve continues so long as there is need for operation of the landing gear.

While I have described the preferred embodiment-ofthe invention, it should be yunderstood that I am not to be limited thereto, inasmuch as changes' and modifications may be resorted vto without departing from the spirit of the invention asl defined ln the appended claims.

What is...c1aimed is:

l. In anlautomatic pressure regulator, a housing formedywith a threaded inlet opening, a threaded outlet opening, means defining a passage conl necting said inlet andsaid outlet opening, said means including a check valve,-a` threaded return opening formed in said housing, means deflning a passage leading from said inlet to said return opening, said means Jincludinga valve ,seat, a valve assembly including a disc-like valve normally received on said seat' cutting oil com' munication between said inlet and said return passage, said valve assembly being particularly characterized by the provision ofa tubular stern extending from the back face of said valve and terminating in a piston-like flange, said housing being formed vwith a cylindrical borefor receiving said piston-like flange, a sealingring between said bore and flange. the effective pres# sure area of said disc-like valve tending to hold said valve closed -being being made a predeter` mined amount greater than the effective pressure area of said, seal and piston-like flange whereby there is provided`a differential force acting on said valveNtendingto hold the same onl said seat, whichforceflseo'nly a small fraction of the inlet pressure to which said valve assem bly is subjected, a cylindrical plunger member passing 'through s id valve assemblyand slpporting the sam intermediate the endsy thereof,

Y fro plunger including a long sensitive helical spring, a bonnet-like member mounted on the rear end portion o! said plunger and engaging one end of4 said spring adjusting means carried by said housing and engaging the other end .of said 4 spring for determining the compression thereof,

said iiuid pressure in' communication with said plunger; being effective when the same reaches l a predetermined maximum value to force said plunger axially relative to said valve for actuating the same to place said inlet in communication with .said return passage wherein/51 to control the pressure delivered to said outlet. l5 2, A valve assembly comprising a housing havinga fluid inlet opening adapted for connection with the discharge side of a fluid pump and a fluid outlet opening adapted for connection with a fluid f pressure actuated device, said housing havinga connecting passageway between said inlet and outlet openings, -a Icheck valve associated with said connecting passageway, said housing further having a'iiuid return opening adapted i'or communication withtthe fluid pump and a return passageway aording communication between said inlet opening and said return opening, said return passageway being `provided-'with a valve seat disposed toward said inlet opening, a valve member having a: lateral` piston-like portion at one endreciprocable in a cylinder-like portion f formed in said housing in opposed relation to said valve seat and a disc-like valve at the opposite end of said' valve member normally engageable with said valve seat for interrupting communication between said inlet opening and said return nopeninmsaid lateral piston-like portion 3nd discnkesvalve winning-subjected to the incoming iluid and having relativelydiil'erent eilective.

pressure -areasto provide an unbalance of said mofvalve member urging .the same in the direction of said valve seat with a predetermined-pressure diilerential, resilient means adiustably mounted in said housing and operatively associated with -said valve member for effecting a predetermined .upload on the' latter, and valve-operating means movably mounted in said housing and operatively associated with said valve member for effecting movement offthe latter'IromJts seat, said valve roperating meanshaving a portion in communication with theuiiuid. at -said outlet opening and actuated by the pressure of the iluid when' in exlcess of that' corresponding to a predeterminedA loadingon said valve member whereby said valve head'i's4 moved from its seat to permit the incomss inriuidltonow; substantiauy unresmtediy through saidreturn passagewayand return openmg merebyreuevmg thsriad' on the pump, said `valve-member closed when, the pressurel of the'fiuld rin' the outlet opening drops below `through; the' return passageway thereby-reesable actuating pressure isagain eiected. t 3. A valve .assemblycom'prisinga housinghav- -ing a iluid'inlet openingoadapted for connectionwith the discharge side ot a'ilui pump and a iluid outlet opening adapted for, nnection with the inlet side of a iiuid'pressure actuated device; said sociated A with'said connecting passageway, said housing further having a4 duid return opening that lforl which said valve member is predeterminately 'loaded/V to interrupt the 110W. oi iluidhousing having aconnectingpassageway between4 saidinlet and outlet openings, a c heck valve astion between said inlet opening and said return opening, said return passageway being provided opening, said lateralflange and valve both beingy subjected to the incoming iluid and having^rela tively diilerent eiective pressure areas to provide with a valve seat disposed toward said inlet opening, a Vvalve member having a lateralplston-like-r an unbalance of said valve member in the dir ection of said seat with a predetermined pressure differential, resilient means adjustably mounted in said housing and operatively associated with said valve member' for adding a predetermined r load on the latter in addition to said diie'rential w 'pressure load, and valve operating means movably mounted in saidA h usingJ and operatively' associated with said movement of the latter whereby said valve head is removed from its seat, said valve operating means having a portion in communication with the iluid at said outlet opening and actuated by i the-pressure oi the uid when in excess of that eected `by the predetermined `loading pn' said alve member for effecting valve-member whereby said valve head is moved from its seat to permit the incoming iluld to ilow substantially unrestrictedly through said return passageway and return opening thereby relieving the load o n the pump,.said valve member being alternately-sente@ andlunseated as the pressure oi' the uid at the outlet opening, varies between 4eiective whereby the desired pressure o! the Cfluid is maintained. f

4. A valve assemblyf comprising a housing havthat for which said valve member is differentially ing a uid inlet opening adapted for connection Y `with the discharge side of iiuid pump and a iluid outlet pening adapted for -connection with the inlet side oi the iluid pressure actuated device. said housing having a connecting passageway'between said inlet-and outlet' openings, a check .valve` mounted in said connecting passageway, said housing Vfurther having a fluid return .opening pted for return communication with the iluid pump and a returnmpassageway ail'ording communication between said inlet opening and said return opening, said return passagewaybeing provided with a valve seat disposed toward said inlet opening, a valve'member movably mounted in saidvhousing and having a valve head normallyl stem terminating in an enlarged piston-like pordrical 'chamber formed in said housing in' communlcatin with said inlet, said valve head being constructed with .an edective pressure area tending toA hold said valve-.closed in response to inlet fluid/pressure, 'which area is greater than the cortion slldablyand sealably received in 'a cylln-.

respondingpressure-area of said-piston-like portion tending to open said valvein response to adapted 4for communication with the fluid pump inlet pressure, a rod 4slidably mounted in said u v seat, said rod having a portion in communication housing and operatively associated with said valve member for effecting movement of the latter whereby saidvalve head is removed from its with the iluid at said outlet opening and actuated bythe pressure of the iluid when in excess of that effected -by the predetermined loading on said valve member whereby said valve'head is moved from its seat topermit the incoming uid to flow substantially unrestrictedly through said return passageway and return opening thereby relieving the load on the pump.

5. Avalve assembly comprising a housing having a iluid inlet opening adapted for connection with the discharge side of a iluid pump and a iluid outlet opening, said housing having a connecting passageway between said inlet and outlet openings, a check valve in said connecting passageway, said housing further having a uid return opening adapted for communication with said iluid pumpl and a return passageway ail'ording communication between said inlet opening and said return opening, said return passageway being provided with a valve seat disposed toward said inlet opening, a valve assembly including a disc-like valve normally engaged with said valve seat, a tubular stem extending axially from the v' back side of said valve, said stem terminating in means defining a piston-like portion sildably and sealably` received in a cylindrical chamber formed in said housing in communication with said inlet,

said disc-like ,valve being constructed with an effective pressure area tending to hold saidl valve closed in response to `inlet -iluid pressure which area is greater than the corresponding eilective pressure area of said piston-like portion tending to open said valve in response to inlet pressure, a plunger rod passing through said valve assembly and slidably supporting .the same intermediate the ends 'of s aid plunger, the forward en'd oi' said plunger being in communication with the iluid at said outlet opening and actuated by the'pressure of said iluid when in excess of a predetermined amount to move said plunger axially rearwardly of said valve supported thereby, said plunger being-provided with means contacting said valve upon said rearward movement i'or opening the same, a sensitive helical coil spring associated with said valve assembly for placing a predetermined additional pressure thereon in the valve closing direction, and means carried by said housing for adjusting the compression of said spring.

- JAMES P.4 JOHNSON. 

